Donald (Don) Spaethe

DONALD (DON) L. SPAETHE

Cedar Rapids

Donald (Don) L. Spaethe, 76, a resident of Cedar Rapids, passed away Friday, May 5, 2017, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, May 11, at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories Stateroom.

Don was born Jan. 2, 1941, in Eldon, Iowa, to Alice L. (Bates) Spaethe and Donald F. Spaethe. Don graduated from Eldon High School in 1959. He was a U.S. veteran who joined the Navy in 1963 and was stationed in Meridian, Miss., where he worked as an aircraft technician. After an honorable discharge in 1967 from the Navy, he then moved to Marion, where he started a family with his then wife Jackie Spaethe (Rocket). He worked at Rockwell Collins as a machinist for 38 years and ultimately retired in 1996. Don later moved to Cedar Rapids, where he spent his retirement years. Some of his greatest enjoyments were being an original member of the Old West re-enactment group called the Desperado's. He was also very accomplished as a leather craftsman, winning many awards. Anyone who knew Don knows he enjoyed simply talking with friends, telling stories about his family, going to gun shows, watching Westerns and anything military TV.

Don is survived by son, Don (Nannette) Spaethe of Grayslake, Ill.; grandchildren, Bradley (Heather) Spaethe of Sturnavent, Wis., Breanna Spaethe (fiance Justin Dumar) of Mundelein, Ill., and Jayden Spaethe of Grayslake; and great-grandchildren, Ashlynn Spaethe and Sevy J. Dumar.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the El Kahir Shrine in Hiawatha.

Online condolences may be left for the family on the website www.cedarmemorial.com under "obituaries."